Canada Just Opened the Bridge Trump Tried to Stop

On July 27th, 2026, the first cars and trucks rolled across the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor and Detroit. Five and a half months earlier, the President of the United States had written: "I will not allow this bridge to open." Canada paid for all of it, even the American customs plaza. So why did a billionaire family, a state legislature and finally the White House fight a free bridge for twenty years? This is the story of the Ambassador Bridge, the Moroun family, Gordie Howe, and the deal that made it happen. Stay for the one word that explains it all. Chapters 0:00 Ten Eighteen 1:04 The Question 2:00 The Busiest Border 2:54 The Family Bridge 3:49 The Second Bridge 5:01 Lansing Says No 5:40 The Offer 6:31 Thirty Million Dollars 7:30 Mr. Hockey 8:52 Building It 11:02 February Ninth 12:27 The Cancelled Ribbon 13:53 Opening Day 14:37 The First Month 15:44 Toll Want the other Canadian inventions we rated? They are all in our report The True North Files. Scan the QR code in the video, or find the link on our channel page. Footage: Pexels, Pixabay, Magnific. Maps: Natural Earth. Some images AI generated. Voice: AI narration. Music and sound effects: YouTube Audio Library. #Canada #GordieHowe #Detroit Image credits (Wikimedia Commons): Crisco 1492 (CC BY-SA 4.0): Ambassador Bridge, Windsor, On; 2024 Ford Mustang, LaSalle, On Mikerussell at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0): AmbassadorBridgesunsetting2 Andrea_44 from Leamington, Ontario , Canada (CC BY 2.0): Ambassador Bridge (3471090209); Ambassador Bridge (2922881934) Chris Woodrich (CC BY-SA 4.0): Ambassador Bridge from the Det; Gordie Howe International Brid; Huron Church Road from pedestr; US-Canada border along the Det; Aylmer Riverfront Park from De Norris Wong from Hong Kong (CC BY 2.0): Ambassador bridge in Windsor1 Mikerussell at en.wikipedia (CC BY 3.0): Ambassador Bridge crossing Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0): Crossing Ambassador Bridge fro; Exit to Ambassador Bridge, Det; Detroit River and Ambassador B Barb Crawford from Saint John, Canada (CC BY 2.0): Ambassador Bridge Windsor to D Notorious4life (talk) (Uploads) (CC0): Delray, Detroit (June 2021) Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0): Detroit June 2024 02 (Detroit; Detroit August 2025 19 (skylin; Detroit December 2021 59 (Fran; Detroit December 2015 59 (Joe Lrgjr72 (CC BY-SA 4.0): Detroit Skyline (Nov2021) TheWxResearcher (CC0): Detroit Skyline from Windsor 2; Gordie Howe International Brid Shealeah Craighead (Public domain): Donald Trump official portrait Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 3.0): Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore Daniel Torok (Public domain): January 2025 Official Presiden; Howard Lutnick 2025 Tiernan Johnson (CC BY 4.0): Drew Dilkens at VIA Rail annou Aaron Zhu (CC BY-SA 3.0): Ford F-150 Rouge Plant - panor Jim.henderson (CC0): Fox News 6th 48 jeh Arnie Lee (CC BY 3.0): Gordie Howe Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided (Public domain): President Gerald R. Ford and G Antony-22 (CC BY-SA 4.0): Gordie Howe Bridge 2025b; Gordie Howe Bridge 2025d; Gordie Howe Bridge 2025e Haljackey (CC BY-SA 4.0): Gordie Howe Bridge Sept 3 2021 Judith Jackson (CC BY 2.0): Gordie Howe Bridge under const AHeneen (CC BY 4.0): Gordie Howe International Brid Blkmagik98 (CC BY 4.0): Gordie Howe International Brid Erik Behrens (CC BY-SA 4.0): Gordie Howe International Brid WMrapids (CC0): Gordie Howe International Brid; Windsor, Ontario (aerial view) DHSgov (Public domain): Aerial Tour of Gordie Howe Bri Hockeytown11 (CC0): Mr Hockey statue at LCA City of Detroit (Public domain): Gretchen Whitmer (2021) U.S. Department of State (Public domain): Exterior of the United States United Press International (Public domain): Herb Gray 1980 Coolcaesar (CC BY 4.0): Aerial View of Interchange Bet 42-BRT (CC0): I-75 NB approaching Gordie How The White House (Public domain): Mark Carney in 2025 Mojnsen (CC BY-SA 4.0): Michigan State Capitol 2024 Brian Charles Watson (CC BY-SA 3.0): Michigan state capitol w_lemay (CC BY-SA 2.0): Dome, Michigan State Capitol David Samuel, User:Hellodavey1902 (CC BY-SA 3.0): Parliament Hill, Ottawa Suwannee.payne (CC BY-SA 3.0): Parliament Hill from the river Louie Luo (CC BY-SA 4.0): Parliament Hill Ottawa by Loui Detroit Regional Chamber from Detroit, MI, United States (CC BY 2.0): Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Alex Goykhman (CC BY-SA 4.0): Stanley Cup, 2015 World Economic Forum / Remy Steinegger (CC BY-SA 2.0): Stephen Harper by Remy Steineg Quercusvirginiana (CC0): Supreme Court of the United St White House (Public domain): Donald Trump and Justin Trudea The White House from Washington, DC (Public domain): Donald Trump Justin Trudeau 20 Martin Falbisoner (CC BY-SA 3.0): US Capitol west side Mathieu Landretti (CC BY-SA 4.0): Font Gate of the White House o Lawrence monkhouse (CC BY-SA 4.0): Windsor Car Assembly Plant abo